Veterans for Peace
Today in class we were honored to have to members of the Veterans for Peace organization join us about their experience in the military. Ms Groebner contacted the non-partisan speakers to share their experiences and choices they made during the 1960’s while the country was recruiting soldiers during our armed conflict in
Their message was simple. They cautioned our graduating seniors against the dangers of racism that had been instilled in them during basic training and spoke about the danger of not having an action plan after graduation from high school.
Compare what you heard in class to what we are reading about in class. What does it mean to be courageous.? What does it mean to be a patriot?
19 comments:
Being courageous means to do something that no one would ever be brave enough or step up, to do. The veterans wanted to get their peace back. They thought it was very unfair for people not to give them jobs/homes whatsoever just because they came out of war and back home. It's honestly a brave thing for them to do to get their rights back and that's why we have Veterans Day. The veterans that came in class, I heard, talked about what they carried. Last but not least, being a patriot means to love and defend your country, but it doesn't mean letting them control your rights. You should have the right to defend them against gov't interference.
-TLau
Yesterday in class we were honorerd to have two veterans come in and speak about their experiences in vietnam. It was certainly an experience for me because I never had any interactions with veterans before. The veterans compared to the book where reading in many ways. The book where reading is a book called the things they carried, and what the soldiers carried were different items that somewhat meant something to them. Now what they carried didn't have to be an object, it could be a memory as well. One veteran to me related to the book because of what he carried even when he was out of the service. It was a memory of an experience he had in a village dealing with a little 7 yeasr old girl. He sill carries that memory today. That veteran compares to the book by relating to what some of the soldiers in the book were facing. Some carried items to help there memories.
It kind of hard to say what courage really means. Courage can work in any way you want it to really. For example if you go to war you certainly have courage for going to fight for your country and risk your own life but if you choose not to go to war it doesn't mean you are a coward. You can show you have courage by just saying no and not being pressured to fight. So I'm not too sure what is courage, but I think its an action or even an emotion that someone has or does that helps him/her stand up for themselves or fight for what they believe in.
As for a patriot I think a patriot is someone who is loyal to their country and is always willing to fight for it.
Bryan S.
What it means to be courageous is to b brave and what it means to be patriot is a person that loves and serves there country the vets that went to Vietnam was brave but they didn’t believe in the war. They were in. the were forced to make chooses and do thing that they didn’t want to do. The were brain washed in to believe there enemies were not human by using racists words. But that doesn’t change the fact that they went through a lot in the war they even lot there friends in the war. Some even lot there loved ones. Rite now nobody is a patriot because the war were in we don’t support it at all we love our country and all but the choose that was made by the president and how our government is treating solider for the Vietnam and Iraq war doesn’t make any one else want to serve our country.
"The terrible truth is that in this war of symbols, America is vulnerable. We are wealthy, powerful, and proud. Our nation is filled with symbolic targets, from the White House, to the Sears Tower, to the Golden Gate Bridge. But for American vengeance, there are no hard targets. Our weapons are ideas, like Freedom, and Justice, ideas that are often best exemplified by what we do not do. To win this war, with these weapons, will require courage, wisdom, and, yes, justice."This is John Rieger for TomPaine.com.
I picked this quote, that shows the courage needed to fight a war. Courage can be like, when Tim'O Brien doesn't run away to Canada when he got drafted for the Vietnam War. His courage to not run away showed his courage to fight in the war,even though he sort of didn't want to.
A patriot is someone who proudly supports or defends his or her country and its way of life.
Mr. Brown Mr. Bush gives a defintion of what it means to be a patriot through the questions had been asked after 9/11.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060915-2.html
Do the people who came back from the Iraq War, like the African American guy in the documentary we saw in class, still have courage in themand patriotism as before to back and fight again in the war?
mANPREET kAUR
To have to two vietnam veterans in class was a honor. It was a honor to know that someone took time out to come and share with us a emotional experience that took place at a time in their lives.I dont believe that the soilders gave a clear view of what being courageous ment but in my eyes the most courageous story that was said was by dayl wise of him walking through the restricted village and invaded a house, but the little girl who came up to him changed his hole mind state of what he was doing there and he return back to his ground. the fact that a little girl who you are much older then can make you stop from doing wrong... thats something you can never forget. i can say one thing that dal wise carried with him was the memory of the little girl and her big eyes.
I really am not sure how to define courage... I just know when I see it.
Its the brother or sister that risks their lives to protect others... soldiers, NYFD(my deepest respect), NYPD, your neighbor who protects you, the young person that overcomes severe pain (physical or emotional) and grows through it... It usually doesn't involve judgement... just a reaction to protect others.
A lot of veterans were courageous, not necessarily driven by patriotism so much as valueing the lives of others. If we knew the truth about many conflicts we would dump our politicians. The people who engineered our involvement in Iraq, to a man, never served in a war ... have no idea of the real sacrifices made in the field... but they will profit and have sucessfully kept money FROM being used to support veterans.
I really was impressed with your school and I'm not talking about the bricks... you're good people.
I agree with TLau. I also think that being courageous also means being brave and doing something that no one else can do but you. We had two Veterans come into our classroom and talk about their experiences in Vietnam. They are good examples of Two courageous and patriotic people. I believe that this is why we have Veterans day. They fought for what they believed in and what was right. That is why they are patriotic.
-Simran k.
What does it mean to be courageous? there are so many answers to that question but courage overall mean,to do the things that someone else fears to do to stand up and fight for your country because you dont want to see them fail, to do the impossible,and to see the things that noone dares to experience and thats what our soldiers did to fight for us and for us as a country to not respect that ir really wrong because theseare people laying their lives down for us. Also i like how bryan mentioned the story that one of the soldiers from vietnam told us and how that story related to the book were reading in class called The Things They carried. Being a patroit means what tiffany said to love and defend your country and to doanything even if it means laying your life down to protect us and I honor those guys on the vietnam war and other wars who were courageous to do what they did. Would Bush ever be as courageous as them? lets see if he can survive the war
Having two vietnam veterans in goverment class was an honor. Being courageous is being brave and having the valor to do something but also taking a risk in life. I like how Dayl and Bryan let out all their feelings and when they were telling their stories it also related to the book we are reading "The things they carried". They were two excellent examples of being courageous and patriotic. Its really unfair when you out fighting for your country and then for you to come back and your in the streets with no support or a home. All these veterans wanted was their peace back. But they never gave up and they fought for their rights,.But they were a very great patriotic. They showed love and supoort for one's country and did anything that was possible for peace.
I have to agree with everyone who said it was an honor to have the two men from Veterans for Peace come and speak with us. It is a very different experience to actually hear people's stories rather then simply reading them. You could tell it took a lot of "courage" for Dayl to share his stories with the class. He never told us for sure, but you could assume the war had affected his life in many negative ways. Although it was hard for him to speak about the war that has caused him great pain, it was important to get the message across to us. I think someone who has courage completes tasks they truly don't want to do if it can in some way help other people. It is like, as Jim Murphy said, the mebers of the FDNY I am sure they would not willing run into a fire ifit was burning on it's own, but they do it to save the lives of the people who are trapped inside.
Patriots, when the name was coined during the Revolutionary War, were people who wanted America to become it's own country and not stay under Britian's rule. A Patriot is still a person that wants the best for their country. But they are not necessarily behind the government one hundred percent. Patriots are people who are willing to even go against the government if they see injustices happening to our people. They do not anwser to the governmnet necessarily, but to our country as a whole whoever she may be.
To have Two walking talking primary sources in class speaking about there past experiences I must say was an honor and a priviledge. But when asked about courage, I must say Courage is an act that is more of an instinct. There is no hesitation nor is there second thoughts of consequences that await after. Beinig courageous is best defined by being brave and bold. Being A patriot on the other hand is someone I must say loves his/her country and is willing to risk there safety in order to keep it safe and keep th countr on the up and up.
-Jblount
I agree with most of the posts before me. I think courage includes actions and thoughts. Courage is the ability to dispell the opinions of what others may think about you. Its about doing what you feel is morally correct and not caring what others think of it. A patriot is someone who defends their country whether it be through service at home or sat war. You don't necessarily have to fight for your country but you must be able to defend it even when the gov't makes it hard to.
Being courageous in my opinion is being audacious and the veterans really did show that. They fought for our country and thats the true definition of being courageous. The veterans did not know what would happen to them after they came back from war. They thought they would be right back on track and get jobs/ go to college/live a normal life but they were so wrong. It was the opposite of all the three.
Last week we were honored to have two veterans to come in and speak to us about their experiences in Vietnam... it really was sad for what they had to go through. The veterans also compared the book we are reading in English class in many ways. They talked about what they carried. It didn't necessarily have to be an object but a memory. You could also tell that it took a lot of courage for Jim and Dayl to talk about their experience.
Lastly, being a patriot means to love, support, and defend his or her country unconditionally.
-Anta R.
I agree with Jonathan, when he said that courage is an act that is more of an instinct. There is no hesitation or second thoughts of what they did. To be courageous you would have to be brave and risk your life. I agree with Vickie about the definition of a patriot. A patriot is a person who wants the best for their country and fights for their rights in the country.
Every feeling that i had for this presentation has bascially already been stated by my fellow classmates. Of course it was an honor as well as something i will tell me kids about someday, that there are men like Jim and dayl who have passion and determination on what they truely believe in. Courage is to bestrong and unhesistent about what you think is right its something you are born with. Being a patriot is being someone who defends and doesnt fall on what they love and live for, no doubt in my mind that these two brave men held these qualities.
Having the members from the veterans for peace organization come in to our class to tell us about their experiance was very interesting because it is nice to know that the things they advertise for us on television is not always 100 percent true. Our soldiers are put throught so much before they attempt to do what they always dreamed of doing. I just hope that things get better for our newer soldiers so they wont have to worry about anything that has been going on with out veterans.
After having them come to our class I feel that there should be some kinda of support for veterans when they come home from war because they come home from serving there country and have no where to stay or eat and some of them have families that they as a parents need to take care of it. But these mens were lucky enough to be able to become something they wanted to become when they graduated from High school. They spread the word that people need to start paying attention to our soldier so they dont end up on the streets.They came to our class and had a discussion were very informative. They had there own opinions as well as facts and hand outs to back them up.
You guys are great!... I would like to talk a bit about returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. I wasn't kidding when I 'joked' about NOT fixing up a blunt or buying sixes for your friends when they come home. We learned from Vietnam that 'self-medication' ended up responsible for many more bodies than the war had. Although I'm realistic enough to know that sobriety just isn't going to happen, make sure your friends DO NOT stay wasted. They need to sign into the Queens' Veterans Outreach Center... just to get on the books and know all of their benefits. They need to talk with other 'warriors' ... they may need a group. Doonesbury is pretty close to the truth on the cartoon segments that involve veteran's group counseling.
There may be as many as 120 suicides a week from these vets... I'm amazed too! Many are getting slow services... This is due to the Republicans' control of the House and Senate from 2000-6 when benefits were slashed (check the DAV website for your congressman's record... (Peter King, the flagwaver, has an abysmal record).
Hold politicians accountable!!!
#2... if your family is involved in a trade or business that is hiring... have them call a Vets Outreach Center. The best therapy is a stinking job... a regular routine... $$$ in the pocket.
Pe4ace to all and have a great holiday season... Jim Murphy
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